Suction ring for socket wrenches



May 11., 1951 WAHL 2,551,515

SUCTION RING FOR SOCKET WRENCHES Filed June 20, 1947 NVENTOR. I

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .v

SUCTION RING FOR SOCKET WRENCHES Albert G. Wahl, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 20, 1947, Serial No. 755,943

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a suction ring adapted to be positioned in the head or cup of a socket wrench for engaging and holding nuts as they are unscrewed from the threaded ends of bolts and the like, thus retaining the nut in the socket until removed by the workmen.

One of the objects of my invention is, to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive suction ring which may be readily installed in a socket wrench and which will be effective in eliminating much of the time and annoyance involved in hunting for and retrieving nuts, which after being unscrewed from bolts, drop from the wrench, and particularly when the work is being performed in darkness or under poor lighting conditions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the head or cup of a socket wrench in which my improved suction ring is used.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view of the vacuum ring.

Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view of a modified form of the vacuum ring.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, It designates the body of a conventional socket wrench of the 12 point type, having in its forward end, a chamber I I, the inner face of the surrounding wall of which, has formed therein, twelve longitudinally disposed grooves I2 adapted to receive the corners of nuts handled by the socket with a shoulder I3 at the rear end of said chamber and grooves and a square or non-circular aperture I4 in the rear end of said body, for the reception of a conventional handle I5.

The suction ring contemplated by my invention consists of a washerlike ring I6 of metal provided with peripheral prongs ll, adapted to occupy the inner ends of grooves I2 and bear against shoulder I3.

Suitably secured by cement or otherwise to the front face of ring I6, is the rear face of a ring I8 of rubber, in the front face of which is formed a shallow circumferential groove or channel I9 having more or less attenuated edges 20. This rubber ring decreases slightly in thickness toward its front rooved face.

In applying the suction ring to the socket, the metal rin I6 with rubber ring I8 cemented to the front face thereof, is with pressure, forced into the chamber II of socket I0, and the ends of prongs II will bite into the faces of grooves I2, thus effectively anchoring the suction ring in said socket.

In some instances, the ring I8, suitably sized may, without metal I6, be seated in chamber II, by pressing said ring I8 against shoulder I3. In use, the socket equipped with my improved ring is applied to a nut with sufificient pressure to produce a partial vacuum in the groove I9, and the resulting suction grips the nut so as to retain same in chamber II when the socket is Withdrawn from the bolt.

To dislodge the nut, it is only necessary to tap the socket body against a fixed object, or with a hammer or the socket handle, with sufficient force to break the suction between ring I8 and said nut and the latter may be dropped into the hand of the workman.

My improved vacuum ring will operate with equal advantage on the heads of bolts, particularly the smaller sizes thereof.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a socket wrench suction ring which is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

Minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved suction ring for socket wrenches may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A suction ring for socket wrenches comprising a metal ring, prongs on the marginal edge of said ring, a rubber ring secured on the front face of said metal ring, there being a recess formed in front face of said rubber ring and which recess is at all points, of smaller dimension transversely of the front face of the rubber ring, than said front face, so that each edge of said front face is bounded by an unbroken wall.

2. A suction ring for socket wrenches comprising a metal ring, prongs on the marginal edge of said ring, a rubber ring on the front face of said metal ring, said rubber ring being provided in its front face with a continuous channel and which channel is at all points, of smaller dimension 3 transversely of the front face of the rubber ring, than said front face, so that each edge of said front face is bounded by an unbroken wall.

3. A suction ring for socket wrenches as set forth in claim 2 with attenuated lips along the edges of said channel.

ALBERT G. WAHL.

REFERENCES CITED Number The following references are of record in the Number file of this patent: 

